The No. 24 BYU women’s soccer team traveled to Spokane, Wash., Thursday to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs, winning 1-0.
While the score suggests a tight contest, the Cougars controlled from the onset. BYU got on the board quickly as forward Niki Fernandes crossed a ball into forward Marissa Nimmer, who put the ball in the back of the net. Nimmer has now scored two goals this season as she has worked her way into the Cougar starting lineup.
Although the Cougars would not score another, they peppered the Gonzaga goal with shots all afternoon, totaling 19 shots over the course of the game and making it the third consecutive game with at least 19 shots.
True to form, the BYU defense was dominant. The shutout is the fourth shutout in the last five games for the Cougars. Goalkeeper Erica Owens only faced seven shots thanks to a staunch defense and made four saves. Owens already leads the West Coast Conference in several goalkeeper categories and is cushioning that lead with each subsequent shutout.
The Cougars will look to ride this momentum into Portland on Saturday for a huge showdown between West Coast Conference powers. The Portland Pilots are currently ranked No. 6, so the Cougars are looking for a statement win. The game will be broadcast on W.tv as the Game of the Week and will be held at 8 p.m. MDT.
